going home to you
by abbyli
Summary: Elena gives birth to her son.


_**going home to you**_

* * *

It was like an angel had fallen out of heaven and landed in her arms.

She couldn't believe that she had created this perfect little creature. She couldn't believe that this tiny miracle was hers. All hers.

"Hey, sweetie."

She looked up, her dark eyes finding the ones of her husband's. She felt a familiar smile spread across her lips, one that usually took her mouth whenever she laid eyes on the man of her dreams. He just had that affect on her. Even during the time that they had had apart, he had always made her smile.

"Hey, baby," she murmured, leaning her head back onto the plethora of pillows behind her.

"How's our man doing?" he asked as he entered the room, setting yet another stuffed animal onto a chair. She giggled at the sight of it.

"He's doing fine. You realize that if you bring one more stuffed animal into this room, it will probably explode?"

He chuckled and rolled his beautiful eyes. "Shut up. I can't help it."

Elena smiled and shifted over, making room for her soul mate. He wrapped an arm around her, his eyes falling on the little boy in her arms.

"Do you realize that we haven't even thought of a name for him yet?" he said. "He just came along so quickly and unexpected that that thought hasn't even crossed my mind."

"I agree," chuckled Elena. "I've been so busy with my book and just staying healthy that I haven't really thought about names either."

Her husband watched her face for a minute. "You are such a liar."

"What-hey! I am not a liar!"

"Elena, ever since I have known you, you have never been able to tell a lie without cracking. Give it up. You have been thinking about names ever since you found out you were pregnant."

She rolled her eyes. "Fine. Yes, I have been thinking about names."

"And?"

"_And_, I was thinking about..." She looked into her husband's soft eyes and found herself smiling again. "Grayson John."

"Grayson John?" he repeated. "Grayson John." He let the name slide over his lips. "I like it."

"I always knew that if I were to have a little boy, his middle name was going to be John. After everything that he did for me, it is the least I can do for him," she whispered, her thoughts traveling back to that one early morning that the dad that she had despised had given up his life for her.

He pressed his lips to her temple. "I think it's perfect."

She leaned her head against his shoulder, holding little Gray closer to her. He skimmed a finger over the baby's forehead, ending on the tip of his nose.

"I miss him. I miss them both. I wish they were all here," she breathed after a few seconds. "It doesn't make sense that I am still here and they are gone. All of them."

"I know you hate me saying this but-"

"It was something in the cards. I know, I know. It doesn't make it any easier."

"I never said that it had too. We have all dealt with loss in our lifetimes."

"And we will always deal with loss in our lifetimes," she murmured back. "I just don't want to deal with any more direct loss. I mean, come on. I know that more than anything, Isobel and John would want to be here to see him. Miranda and Grayson. Jenna. They would all want to be here. But of course, they're not. It doesn't make any easier."

"No, it doesn't," he agreed. "But Elena, listen to me." He gently turned her face so she was looking him in the eyes. "It's that prospect of now. We are living in the now. With each other, with Grayson. We are living right here in the now. And there is no reason to really think about the later. It is the now that matters."

Comfort spread over her body as she listened to her husband's words. Leaning over, she gently pressed her lips to his.

"Thank you," she whispered.

"I love you, Elena."

"I love you too."

* * *

"Here he is. Isn't he beautiful?" She cradled Gray closer to her chest. He was still sleeping peacefully and she wanted to keep him that way. She didn't need him to wake up and start screaming in the middle of the cemetery.

John's grave was marked with just a single red rose. She had taken to coming here once a month and leaving flowers on her parents' graves and on Jenna's grave. It made her feel closer to the ones she had lost and also helped her feel a little bit of peace. At least she wasn't 'Gloomy Graveyard Girl' anymore.

She couldn't help but chuckle at that thought. It seemed like yesterday but it had been ten years ago, almost to the day that it had happened. The day that her life became changed forever. There had been so much loss stemming from that, so much loss. But she was happy that she was where she was at that moment. Now, she was able to find a little bit of peace.

"I miss you. All of you," she murmured to the four graves. "It just doesn't seem right. I really wish that we could all be here together." Grayson shifted slightly in her arms and blearily opened his eyes. His dark brown eyes. "Gray's almost a month old. He's so perfect. Of course, those are the words coming out of his mother's mouth but his father agrees too. He is perfect. His father keeps saying that he looks like me but I think he looks like his daddy too. Can't really tell if he inherited my eyes or his eyes."

Damn it. Tears were starting to burn her eyes. Every single time she came here, she cried. She just wished she could just make it through one sorid time and leave with a sad but happy smile.

"I love you all," she whispered. "And I will see you again. Hopefully sooner than later since now I have something to live for."

She slowly rose to her feet, keeping Grayson tight against her chest. She let out a sigh and brushed a weary hand across her eyes.

"Goodbye for now."

Turning carefully, she was startled by the sight of her husband standing over by the oak trees. Her slight surprise turned into a smile of delight.

"You followed us here?" she whispered.

He shrugged. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be."

"A lot of this was my doing," he waved an arm over to the graves.

"No it wasn't. It was something that happened," she rebutted. "Don't ever blame yourself or I will kick your ass."

"And you probably could," he chortled quietly.

She rolled her eyes and approached him. She gently shifted a fussing Grayson into his arms. At the feel of his father's touch, the child calmed and fell right back asleep. His father laughed and Elena rolled her eyes.

"Just like his daddy," she mumbled.

"Nah. Just like both of us," he whispered.

She leaned against his shoulder and cast one more look over at the graves. She let out a soft sigh and glanced back into her husband's gentle eyes.

"Are you ready to go home, my love?" he asked.

She nodded. "More than anything in the world."

* * *

**Okay, so this idea popped in my brain when I was rewatching Season 2 and I just had to get it out on paper. **

**So I left the identity of Elena's husband and baby daddy a secret but I did drop a few very obvious clues. Can you guess who the father is? Leave me your guesses in your reviews. I will say though that I am very against Delena so it is not Damon. But it could be either Stefan, Matt, Elijah, Alaric, Kol, or even Tyler. If it is a vampire, of course, the vampire is now human. **

**Reviews are loved so much. I totally appreciate them filled with your thoughts and opinions. I love to hear anything. (God, I sound pathetic.)**


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